The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1887-07-29

Must be something valu'ble in
there, else it would't be fas'ned up so
close; and. if that's so, the owner IL
advertise it. Anyway. I'll hang on to
1t till find OUT" was Tad's final de-
.rision. He would no more have
Thought of forcing tine lock to satisfy
curiosity than Of breaking open q
money-drawer.
A general stir among the passengers,
together with certain fragments of con-
-versation which reached Tad's ear.
warned him that the end of his Jour-
ney was at hand. Mrs. John Mason
was among those who began getting
in readiness for departure. As, de-
-taching the cloak from the hook, she
withdrew its rich folds from behind
her chair. Tad lightly touched the soft
fur of the lining by way of a mute
farewell; after doing which he began
making his own preparations for leav-
ing. That is, he buttoned his thread
bare jacket tightly about him, ran his
fingers through his mop of curly hair
and pulled shabby cloth cap well
over his forehead. Then. with fast
beating heart, Tad awaited the finale.
CHAPTER IL
The end was not long in coming. As
the city clocks announced the hour of
eight a. m. the train slowly rumbled
into the depot, at the foot of Summer
street, and came to full stop with the
customary jolt which bumps together
the passengers who stand expectant in
the aisle.
Then followed the usual rush for the
doors. during which Tad crept from his
hiding-place unnoticed in the general
confusion. Carrying tie sachel in his
hand, he boldly elbowed his way
through the crowd. and, with great
sigh of relief, found himself standing
on the platform unquesticned. As he
was on the point of turning away Tad
suddenly observed a young man whom
he remembered having seen at the
Broad Street station on the previous
evening. A small blush scar above his
right eyebrow had first attracted Tad's
attention, while the person in question
was standing by the stove. quite near
his own seat. At the time, Tad had
vaguely wondered whether the man
might not have been a soldier, like his
OWN father, and, perhaps, been
wounded by bullet in the same hattie.
Eyes, SIR" thought Tad, closely eye
ing the stranger, who. in turn, was
sharply scrutinizing those who were
leaving the cars, as though watching
for some fellow-passenger, ''that's the
same identical chap, and, what's
more" he added. with growing inter-
est. II believe he's the very fellow who
hollered There he is" when popped
out from under the cars. remember
him by his gold-mounted teeth, toor'
For this young man, who wore sort
of chronic smile, as though pleased
with his own thoughts. made a fire.
quent display of some artistic dentists
kandiwork. But the current of Tad's
thoughts took suddenly unexpected
turn.
''Sure enough" he muttered. audi
bly,. in answer to an inward suggestion;
it's the likeliest thing in the world;
why diln' t I think of it before?''
Acting upon a hasty impulse, Tad
approached the object of his conjecture.
and touched his elbow. "Say, mister"
he eagerly asked, as the young man
started violently. "you hain't seen
nothing of a tall party in an ulster coat
down to his heels. carrying a blanket
done up in shawl-strap, anywhere's
aboard this train, have you?" A Gu
rious look of INTEREST," had almost